The Queen's Bildungsroman
by BrokenXMirror
Summary: Elsa loves her sister dearly, but she needs someone who can understand her, instead of someone who is there for her. Being a queen is an arduous task that cannot be done alone, so Elsa decides she needs more people in her life that she can act herself around, in order to more efficiently serve her beloved country. However, with Anna around, trouble always comes knocking.
**Original frozen plot:**

 **Elsa and Anna talk before coronation. Prophecy with the sword sacrifice. Coronation ruined, she runs to the mountain and anna follows, has the argument and gets kicked out. Elsa misunderstood and sends a blizzard to get rid of her. Fights with hans (human army vs snow monsters) she gets captured, anna freezes, sword sacrifice happens? What is the point of Kristoff in this version? I was thinking about this, because on tumblr there was this fan art, basically asking why Anna wasn't angry with Elsa in her castle, but in the original plot, they had the whole argument, and brought up the past which they couldn't in the new version. Elsa was evil, so anna could be angry, but when elsa is misunderstood, anna has to be all full of love and understanding. It's like saying if you love someone, you can never gat mad and talk to them about their choices. It's like disney is saying children are too dumb to understand real people situations, which annoys me.**

 **Enjoy my first chapter that had nothing at all to do with above rant!**

It was her duty.

She had no choice.

Absolutely no choice. A sigh escaped as she steeled herself.

Elsa forced down her guilt about leaving her office early, leaving her desk with several papers and meeting notes to analyze piled around. She gave a guilty grin, thinking about the note she left for Kai on her desk. _I agreed to the ambassador's meeting. It may take longer than you previously thought._ Their code was still rudimentary, but effective enough. She sighed again, heavily as she went through a rarely used hallway. She had been working non stop for the entire week. Anna had not interrupted her productive streak, easing her guilt about her late afternoon trip. Her shoulders relaxed, excited for the break she decided to take herself. This was her third self appointed break, and she was determined to enjoy it.

The first break she was a nervous wreak, and was bawling by the painting of her father, until Kai approached with a cup of peppermint tea and a listening ear. The second time Kai unexpectedly brought peppermint tea to her office. He must have noticed her squirming in her chair, no matter how hard she tried to hide her discomfort. Being stuck in her office was a duty she had by choice, but it reminded her of being stuck in her room. She had calmly drank the tea, while he informed her about the few duties she had in the evening, insinuating that a there were a few hours she had to do as she pleased with. Kai was the master of subtulty.

She shivered and sped up her pace, keeping her arms stiff at her side, refusing to curl up and grasp her elbows. She screwed her courage to the sticking place, and strolled to her passage out of the castle. Elsa knew that breaks were important, and made sure her staff were not pushed past the breaking point, and was slowly learning to apply it to herself. She grinned, knowing Anna was the one who taught her that. That girl's ability to procrastinate was amazing. Grabbing one of the spare maid's cloaks, she used the most popular exit, blending in with the townspeople exiting her skating rink. Her eyes darted to several faces pacing by her, a smile tugging at her lips at their faces blushed from exercise and laughter. It gave her the confidence she needed to stroll to the public gardens, conveniently located a short walk from the castle. The beautiful crocus garden always relaxed her from the waves of the crowd, but to see them up close, rather than from her bedroom balcony was an exciting adventure for her. Her walk became more natural, and she stopped looking so rushed. She silently thanked the gods for Kai and his unwavering loyalty and discretion as her excitement grew. She felt as if she was eight once more, giddy from feeling weight off her narrow shoulders. She was no Atlas. It pleased her that she could be fun and outgoing without her sister. She frowned slightly, missing the annoying little brat, but the thought quickly faded away at her current mischief: leaving her office and pretending to be mundane, when she knew she was anything but. The light natural snowfall, the busy streets, the loud performers made her lone trip unmemorable to passers by. No one stared at their queen or even noticed the remarkably beautiful woman who traveled alone. She wondered if any of her subjects would recognize her without Anna, as Elsa was always seen with her. Chuckling at her own daring and bravery, she approached the flowers, and felt their calming scent wash over her. Hidden next to the flower patch was rows upon rows of tables with chess boards with various people playing. She smiled at the thought of playing chess again, not having the opportunity since her father died. Elsa loved the times she spent with Anna, but in terms of philosophy and enlightening conversation, Anna was hopeless. She was much too impatient for chess, and would constantly move pieces with no strategy in mind. She could not pull the servants from their duties, but they dared not refuse her, making her feel guilty for asking. Her only two options were Anna and Kristoff who were both abysmal and sore losers. He also insisted on calling the knight a reindeer, which annoyed her to no end. Maybe she could hire someone to play with her. She sadly chuckled at the thought of having to buy friends. She wished, and not for the last time, she could be more like Anna in that respect. Sure, she could fake it for dignitaries, but she had a hard time connecting with people. She laughed humourlessly at her inability to feel people out. A voice shook her out of her reverie.

"Hey"

"Hey me?" Elsa was shocked at being addressed in such a manner and so suddenly, but took it in stride, facing towards the voice. her facade was impeccable, as always.

"No, your invisible friend" a chuckle spilled out. "Of course you. See anyone else by themselves I can thrash in a chess game?"

Elsa lifted an eyebrow at the slip of a girl before her. She enjoyed being treated as a person, instead of a queen, and her subjects did not sass her. The girl was slowly placing all her black pieces on the board, waiting patiently for Elsa to answer. "I may be alone, but you will not find thrashing me as easy as you believe." her voice coming out too tart for her liking. Hopefully the smile on her face showed she was eager to play.

The girl chuckled again. "Only one was to find out, if you care to. I won't think any less of you if you fear loosing, cross my heart." Her smile reached her _very_ pale blue eyes, Elsa noticed, and decided to take her up on the offer. She had nothing to lose and everything to gain by encroaching on this strangers kindness. She sat down delicately and discreetly glanced at her opponent. The girl looked older at a second glance, closer to Elsa's age, with a solid frame and confident demeanour. Elsa smiled as she planned her first move.

"Pawn to E5" Elsa declared her opening move. "So why do you prefer black?"

"I don't start wars" the girl laughingly stated, "I like to end them. I make a terrible aggressor."

As the match continued, Elsa sank into an easy conversation with the girl, pleased to be able to make conversation without butterflies in her stomach. The girl was very pleasant and kind, even if her words sometimes were a bit teasing. She preferred the straightforward attitude and calm demeanour that was impossible to find in the castle.

Her eyes narrowed at the board. She took a deep breath, willing away her overconfidence, knowing pride comes before a fall, and elsa was _proud_ of her chess skills. The girl was good, no doubt, but was determine to prove her wrong, just like she proved her advisors wrong. No one should doubt the Queen of Arendalle, even if her identity was currently a secret.

"You are proving to be quite the player. I fear this game is lost for me."

"you do not wish to play to the end?" Elsa ask, surprised.

"No, I admit defeat when I see it. If you were a worse player I could pull a victory from my sleeve, but I shall give this round up."

"Would you like to play another then?" Elsa's hands twisted in her lap, hoping her behaviour was not to forward.

"Alright, but be prepared. I know your preferred strategies now".

Elsa grinned widely and reset the chessboard for another round.

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"Hey, Kai?"

"Yes, your Highness?"

"Elsa left this note on the desk, do you know when the meeting is over?"

Kai accepted the proffered note, he face remaining stoic. "Ah yes, she should be back in an hour, right on time for dinner"

"So that means I can get some hot chocolate while I wait?" Anna's eyes brightened up considerably.

"I'll bring some to the Royal Gallery. The fireplace is ready there and will warm you up from your mountain trip with Sir Kristoff. Shall he be joining you?"

"Oh, no, he had to take some ice to the southern Isles, being Ice Master and all" Anna's eyes left Kai's, "He's coming back in a week, so i will be in the castle grounds much more. Just warning you" Anna said cheekily, with a wink

"Yes, your highness" he said unflinchingly. "I will be there shortly" He gave a quick bow and disappeared around the corner. Anna skipped one floor up to the gallery, and sank into her favourite cosy love seat, and after Kai delivered her hot chocolate, she started telling the Count D'Achille about her trip with Kristoff.

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"Well, that's two games each. If I had time for another round I would break this tie" Elsa sighed in frustration. She had to return to the castle to eat supper, lest Kai worry about her, or any other servant for the matter.

"I'm up at dawn every morning. Who says I didn't let you win last round so you would agree to play with me again?"

"how did you know I was going to leave?" Elsa asked, surprised.

The girl gave another one of her chuckles. "No one winning drums their fingers so nervously. So, will you be here tomorrow?"

"Oh yes, shortly after dawn is agreeable." Elsa was glad for the early time, making it easier for her to sneak out. "And we will see who lets who win." Giving the girl a playful glare, she stood to leave. "I hope I have taught you to ask your next challenger with humility" And with that, Elsa gracefully returned home, with a flounce in her step and a light chuckle keeping the world off her shoulders. She stealthily retraced her footsteps to her office, depositing her cloak handily, and prepared to eat in her study once more.

"Your Majesty, her Highness has returned not long ago and is waiting for dinner to be served."

Elsa's head jerked up. "Anna's back!" She schooled her features once more, after seeing Kai's grin at her reaction. "Let's not keep her waiting." And with that, Elsa sped to her sister, keeping her queenly composure in front of her servants. She headed to the small balcony over looking the palace gardens, where the servants were setting up a light supper. After Elsa took her seat, Anna waltzed in and pecked her sister on the cheek.

"So how was the meeting" Anna asked. "With the ambassador" she added to Elsa's confused look.

"It was fine" she answer vaguely. "When have you become so interested in my work? The last time we talked about work was me scolding you for procrastinating, which reminds me, how-"

"Yeah, it's all good. No worries Els." she hastily started eating the food on her plate. "'On-ah 'oh dat um rehsfosaboo?"

Elsa rolled her eyes playfully, and tactfully ignored her sisters manners. After a few minutes of controlled eating and comfortable silence, Elsa spoke up. "You in a rush? Because this isn't a race"

All her food hastily gulped down, Anna poked her tongue out. She Slowed down enough to tell Elsa about her date with Kristoff, leaving out some details. "You know, we found this beautiful waterfall. We were taking a sled ride out of town, and we had a _disagreement-_ yes Elsa, a disagreement, don't raise that eyebrow at me, I know that look."

Elsa hastily rearranged her features, schooling it into a smirk.

"So i wanted to lead, but Kristoff was being really stubborn, and Sven totally wanted me to lead, so I got into a tickle fight with Kristoff, I mean it's crazy how ticklish that mountain man is, like crazy ticklish, this one time"- Elsa coughed demurely behind her hand-"r-r-right, so Sven made this really sharp left turn, and the road got really bumpy and so we stopped, and Kristoff got all mad about his sled, but Sven was hopping around, because there was this beautiful field of poppies, and this gorgeous waterfall, making this really pretty rainbow…"- Anna's eyes were sparkling at his point, and Elsa just let her ramble on about the beautiful paradise _secluded from the world_

Elsa hoped to God that they were getting married soon, because she would rather not have to care about how she would shield the public from Anna's impropriety. While she could not control her little sister's actions, she still had to make sure Anna was seen as a innocent flower in the eyes of the public. She was lucky that she wasn't burnt at the stake for being a witch and was generally accepted by the public. She was lucky the capital city, and the townspeople that had met Princess Anna liked her. Ruling a smaller kingdom also worked in her favour; less people were interested in gossiping about their activities. Though if the Kingdom, or Queendom in her case she mused, was richer and Kristoff didn't work out, it would be easier for her to marry off her defiled sister. Defiled, deflowered, used… none of those words seemed kind to Elsa. She would have to think of another one. The trade papers that were waiting on her desk were begging to be looked at…

"Earth to Elsa!" Anna waved her fork in Elsa's face. "Where you at now?"

"I'd be much more comfortable with you being intimate with Kristoff if you were already married." Elsa slipped out.

Anna blushed bright red, looking like a freshly caught lobster, "Geez Elsa, it's not like we have sex all the time."

"Fellatio and cunnilingus count as well." The dry legal terms fell comfortably from Elsa's lips, but she sighed as she realized her sister didn't know them. What _exactly_ did this girl do with all her spare time? Masturbate, probably, when she wasn't tripping over herself. This girl definitely needed to spend more time in the library, but actually reading. Adding some book smarts to her street smarts would be a big improvement. Anna never thought before she acted, and never even pick up a book on philosophy, and barely religion, so all her actions were based on feelings, which would get her in trouble one day. Elsa wiggled her middle and index finger, repeatedly curving them into a 'c' shape, the easiest way to make her understand; also the most vulgar.

"Oh… oh, we don't, I mean didn't, I mean.." Anna squeaked unconvincingly and blushed deeper, pulling at her collar. Elsa's face sharpened, and her eyebrow cocked. "C'mon Elsa, we're a couple, it feels right and makes me happy. I though we stopped fighting about this."

"We are not fighting, we are having a disagreement." Elsa sassily replied. "You know that your happiness is very important to me, and I no longer feel like the spare, but I wish you would think about future consequences. Living in the moment is important, but your actions affect your future, and I want you to have one." Elsa took one of her sister's hands, and squeezed it tight. Anna smiled weakly. "And don't ask me to stop worrying, because I never will. It's in my job contract as older sister to protect you from all harm, even the harm you inflict yourself."

Anna rolled her eyes and tried to start a game of footsie, but Elsa froze her boots to the floor.

"Don't start a war you can't win." Elsa grinned and returned to her meal, suddenly very hungry. Not often was the castle so peaceful.

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"So, you only come to visit me at night when your boy toy isn't warming your bed?"

"Yes, it has nothing to do with you being the queen all night long and having no time for me."

"Huh, maybe I should get married at our next ball, to the first prince who speaks to me. That way I can legally force him to help me with paperwork."

Anna tried poking Elsa to let her in. Elsa winced, but didn't move. "Let's go to your room. I was practicing my magic, so the room is quite cold. Ever since I took Mama- I mean, the royal chamber, I sometime practice in there, just to show I can."

Anna slid her arm through the crook of her sisters elbow and led her to her room. The way there they gossiped about some rumour Anna overheard. Elsa flopped ungracefully onto the bed as Anna brought her chocolate stash over.

"You finished work really early today"

"I stayed up late the past few days to work. I'm exhausted, but I have a nice break from late nights."

"I could help out more"

"It takes work to delegate things to you and get them done on a strict timeline. They are my duties as queen, so chill." Her lips twitched into a smile and she froze a white chocolate before she started to suck on it

"Why'd ya freeze it?'

"Tastes better that way, Here." She chose a milk chocolate caramel to freeze and popped it into Anna's open mouth

Anna's smiled, but quickly grabbed her head and scowled. "Ah, too cold, you gave me brain freeze, you stinker! You're such a bi-

"Language, Anna." the queen reprimanded half seriously.

"-g baby. I swe-"

"crouched into fetal position, you look like the baby, little sis." Elsa managed, clutching her sides in laughter.

Anna narrowed her eyes. "You're so gonna get it!" she lunged, albeit too slowly, as Elsa rolled off the bed and crossed the room. "When I get my hands on you." She threatened.

"There's the rub, isn't it? You can't catch me."

Anna jumped off the bed, scrambling as her sister froze the floor. Elsa then proceeded to spin her around, dancing much more fluidly on ice, while Anna held on, attempting not to fall. Anna couldn't hold onto her anger and giggled as they skated around.

"So you don't need Olaf to help you skate anymore?" she spun her in a circle

"Nope, Only you." poking Elsa's side, who squeaked and let go, held out her hand and backtracked to the bed. She hopped in backwards and crawled under the cover, protecting her side. "The floor?"

"Maybe I feel safer with the distance."

"Elsa!" Anna growled as she took a step, but almost fell onto her butt. "Not funny"

"Maybe a little?" as her ice disappeared.

"Not even a little." she replied and she shimmied into her bed and onto her sister and curled into her.

"You little , maybe not so little anymore." Elsa complained as she wrapped her arms around her sister and gave a goodnight kiss on her crown

Anna ignored her comment and fell asleep within minutes.


End file.
